The Zaporozhye region

The Zaporozhye region came into being on January 10, 1939. Its area makes 27.2 thousand km2, which is 4,5 % of Ukraine?s territory. The population of the Zaporozhye region is 2023.8 thousand people, which is 4 % of the population of Ukraine, including the city population, which is1548.2 thousand people (76,5 %) and rural — 475.6 thousand people (23,5 %). Population density is 74.4 persons per km2. The region is located in the South — Eastern part of Ukraine. It borders with the Dnepropetrovsk, Kherson, Donetsk regions. The South — Eastern border of the region is washed by the Azov Sea.

In the Zaporozhye region, probably, as nowhere else in Ukraine, traditions originating in the rich history of the region are noticeable. The most ancient settlements of primitive people along the banks of the Dniepr River belong to the epoch of middle Paleolith (40 thousand years ago). During many centuries the territory of the region was an original corridor through which different people passed, where different cultures crossed. Kimmerians, Scythians and Sarmats, Goth, Polovtsy tribes, Pechenegi, Slavs have left after themselves on the Dnieper-side steppe various archeological monuments.

Zaporozhyskaya Sech became the first political formation on the territory of Ukraine with all the attributes of a republic. It kept its independence for a long time and occupied an outstanding place in international relationship. European states established diplomatic relations with it and sought for military union. At the end of the XVIII century southern Ukraine was a part of the Russian Empire.

The component part of the population of modern Zaporozhye region are foreign immigrants: Germans, Bulgarians, Jews, Gagauzy, Poles, Serbs, Greeks, Albanians. Zaporozhye has become one of the grounds where strategic industrialization plans of the USSR were embodied. In 1927 the construction of Dnieproges started, the most powerful hydroelectric power station in Europe at that time. A complex of new power-intensive enterprises was rapidly constructed nearby. Zaporizhstal was one of them. Rapid development of economy and culture of the region was interrupted by the Second World War. One of the striking pages in the history of the region is the post-war revival of the Zaporozhye industrial complex, i.e. Dneproges and the enterprises of ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy. By the beginning of 1950 all 670 factories and plants of the region restored their work. In 1950-1970 new branches of industry, such as electrotechnical and chemical, have been created. The power potential of the region has continued to increase. Together with the commissioning of Dnieproges II, Zaporozhye thermal electric power station and Zaporozhye atomic power station have been built.

Last year the region produced industrial products amounting to 19.6 billion HUA. This is 8,8 % of the total amount of all the products of the country. The growth rate amounted to 20,5 % (in Ukraine — 15,8 %). The monthly average salary in the region amounted to 541.5 UAH. And in December it increased and amounted to 620 UAH, i.e. in a year it has grown by 21,7 %. Last year it became possible to create 26.8 thousand new workplaces. And 17 thousand of them fall on the sphere of small business.

There are more than 160 big industrial enterprises in the region. The metallurgical complex of the region is represented by ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises known all over the world, such as: “Zaporizhstal” JSC — the leading producer of steel and pig-iron, “Dnieprospetsstal” — the producer of special steels, “Ukrgraphite” — the leading producer of graphite coated electrodes, “Zaporozhye Aluminium Works” — the only producer in Ukraine of aluminium and the basic raw material for its production — alumina, “Zaporozhye Titanium-Magnesium Plant” — the only producer in Ukraine of spongy titanium, leading enterprise producing germanium and crystal silicon.

In Zaporozhye there are world famous enterprises of the machine-building branch with highly technological production, such as: JSC “Motor-Sich” — producer of aircraft engines for planes and helicopters of known airlines, such as: CB Antonov, Yakovlev, Tupolev, Beriev, Kamov, Mile; JSC “Zaporozhye Transformer Plant” — the only producer in Ukraine of power transformers; “Zaporizhabraziv” — leading producer of abrasive materials and tools.
“AvtoZAZ”, producer of cars, is the leader in the market of Ukraine. The automobiles produced at “ZAZ”, answer all known world standards on quality and safety. Recently the conveyor for the production of “Opel-Astra” was put into operation.

The Berdyansk JSC "Azmol " is one of the most powerful enterprises in Ukraine producing chemical products. The basic types of products are: lubricants — universal, automobile, industrial, railway and special; lubricant-coolant; oils — synthetic and petroleum motor, hydraulic, for refridgerators, special. JSC “Azmol” products are in constant demand not only in Ukraine and the CIS countries, but also in foreign countries.

JSC “Slavutich Brewery” is one of the leaders of brewing in East Europe and the most modern enterprise of the branch with a high level of automation of technological processes. The quality of more than ten grades of amber drink with trademark “Slavutich” is acknowledged by many national and international awards. In the country and abroad the products of the Pologi oil extraction plant, Melitopol and Zaporozhye meat-packing plants are also well-known.

The power complex of the region is the most powerful in Ukraine. On the territory of the region the Zaporozhye atomic power station is located. It is the largest atomic power station in Europe, capacity 6000 MVT. Today the Zaporozhye atomic power station is a modern highly technological enterprise recognized all over the world. At the station a complex of measures which guarantee safe and non-polluting production of electric power are stipulated. Besides the Zaporozhye atomic electric power station the Zaporozhye thermal power station and Dneproges operate.

The Zaporozhye region is one of the largest producers of agricultural products and products of the food industry among the regions of Ukraine. The total area of agricultural territories of the region is 2246.3 thousand hectares, or 5,4 % of agricultural lands of Ukraine. Carrying out of the agrarian reform became a basis for the development of agriculture. On the basis of private property 331 societies, 135 agricultural co-operatives, 162 private (private-rent) enterprises, 2512 farms function in the region. Agricultural lands which are in the use of newly organized agricultural structures of all types of ownership and management, amount to 1761.4 thousand hectares, or 78 % from the available lands in the region. The infrastructure of the agrarian market is developing. 21 agricultural trade houses have been organized.

The agrarian and industrial complex of the region can be estimated as extremely attractive for investments. The basic components of investment attractiveness of the agrarian and industrial complex of the region are the fertile lands, the inexpensive and qualified manpower, significant capacities of the processing branch, a favourable geographical position for exporting of the products.

In the Zaporozhye region there are 694 medical-and-prophylaxis establishments where about 56 thousand workers work.

In the region there are: Center for multiorgans transplantation, Center for ear microsurgery and audiology, regional center for children's cardio-surgery service, regional service of hand microsurgery and the regional Center for prosthesic arthroplasty.

The regional surgery center, including cardiology and vascular surgery, successfully works on the basis of the regional clinical hospital. Cardiosurgeons do a number of complicated operations known in world practice: replacement of the mitral and aort valves, implantation of cardiostimulants, aort-coronary shunting.

In 2001 the Children's regional cardiosurgery service Center, where children with congenital heart diseases and main vessels are operated on, was created. The regional arthrology and a sports trauma center, where joints are replaced and damaged joints are healed, is effectively operating.